Tunisian club Espérance, home to Nigerian midfielder Onuche Ogbelu, have been knocked out of the FIFA Club World Cup following a 3-0 defeat to Premier League side Chelsea on Wednesday.
Despite Ogbelu’s efforts, Chelsea cruised to victory with first half goals from Nigerian-eligible defender Tosin Adarabioyo and Liam Delap as well as a late strike from highly-rated youngster Tyrique George.
The result confirmed Espérance’s exit from the tournament, having previously lost their opening group match to Brazilian side Flamengo, who topped the group with seven points.
Espérance’s only victory came in a tightly contested 1-0 win over Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC. They wrapped up the group stage in third place with three points, while LAFC finished at the bottom without a win.
More Read
Although Espérance’s campaign has ended early, Ogbelu’s performances caught the eye. The Nigerian midfielder featured in every minute of the tournament so far, consistently showcasing his energy and work rate in the heart of midfield.
Ogbelu, 22, delivered a particularly strong display against Chelsea, winning a game-high three fouls, completing 91% of his passes, and contributing with four ground duels won and six ball recoveries.
While Espérance bow out, Chelsea move on to the Round of 16, where they will face Portuguese giants Benfica on Saturday, June 28.
© Bold Media Innovations & Creative Hub Limited. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
